Managing silence, salutations, body language when dealing with your foreign counterparts... Given the extent of cultural complexities, we doubt we'll ever be able to master them all, which is why it's so important to give intercultural communication a place of its own within the company. Here are a few tips on how to operate with peace of mind in a world open to the four winds.
Do we realise that simple attitudes such as putting our hand in front of our mouth when we yawn, not avoiding the gaze of others, or using humour in the second degree, are directly impregnated with our culture of origin?
In the same way that a professional interpreter doesn't just translate sentences, but adapts the message to suit the cultural context, it's crucial to have the curiosity to adapt to our foreign counterparts, even if it's just to say ‘hello’.
Giving a hug or bowing our head? Should we call each other by our first name or start with a formal ‘Dear Sir/Madam’? A simple formula of politeness in an e-mail or a way of greeting in a meeting can vary greatly from one culture to another and influence the perception of the message.
Open-mindedness and active listening are major assets in avoiding misunderstandings.
Be careful, of course, not to reinforce stereotyped, and therefore distorted, views of behaviour. Nevertheless, it is likely that a harmless joke will be received differently depending on whether you are in Taiwan, Dubai or Brazil.
It is therefore essential to adopt a continuous learning posture, by remaining attentive to the verbal and non-verbal signals of our interlocutors.
Cultures evolve, and so do linguistic expressions. It is therefore essential to keep abreast of socio-cultural developments in the markets in which we work.
There are some very simple ways of doing this. Watching foreign TV series or films is an excellent way of learning about new differences and soaking up language tics.
Training courses are also organised, particularly within multinationals and NGOs. Exposed to alliances, joint ventures and other partnerships, they have realised that synergy in human relations on an international scale is a highly strategic investment.
That said, while it is possible to discover the existence of complex cultures in the space of a few days, their true understanding can only be achieved, once again, over time.
Finally, when a misunderstanding arises despite one's precautions, it's best to adopt a humble attitude and explain cultural differences in a sympathetic way.
In interpreting, rephrasing may sometimes be necessary to avoid a misunderstanding. In translation, an explanatory note can be added to contextualise certain cultural or idiomatic references that could lead to confusion.
In marketing, a brand can change its name depending on the country, or at least adapt its slogan to avoid negative connotations. Pepsi experienced this in China, where the translation of ‘Come Alive with the Pepsi Generation’ was interpreted as ‘Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead’, which put an end to the advertising campaign.
And the examples are endless: in human resources during an international job interview, in customer service, in the hospital environment, in diplomacy, in the hotel industry, and so on.
In short, intercultural communication is an art that goes far beyond words. It is a living skill, nourished by curiosity, adaptability and respect for differences. And what about language professionals? It's an essential key to excelling in their profession.
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#InterculturalCommunication #Translation #SoftSkills #GeneralSkills #CulturalDiversity #InternationalRelationships